RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEX EDUCATION AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS STUDENTS (GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
The period of adolescence occupies a unique stage in every person’s life. It is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood (Adegoke, 2003). Adolescence has been described as a stage among human beings where a lot of physiological as well as anatomical changes take place resulting in reproductive maturity in the adolescent (Kirby, 1999). Many adolescents manage this transformation successfully while others experience major stress and find themselves engaging in behaviours (e.g. sexual experimentation, exploration and promiscuity etc.) that place their well-being at risk (Adegoke, 2003). This is because traditionally, adolescents were not given any information on sexual matters, with discussion of these issues being considered taboo. Such instruction as was given was traditionally left to a child’s parents, and often this was put off until just before a child’s marriage.
Most of the information on sexual matters was obtained informally from friends and the media, and much of this information was of doubtful value. Much of such information was usually known to be deficient, especially during the period following puberty when curiosity of sexual matters was the most acute. This deficiency became increasingly evident, by the increasing incidence of teenage pregnancies, especially in Western countries after the 1960s. As part of each country’s efforts to reduce such pregnancies, programs of sex education were instituted, initially Sex education is a process whereby information is given or imparted to a group of young ones and which takes into account the development, growth, the anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system and changes that occur from youth all through stages of adulthood (Maduakonam, 2001).
Sex education is the acquisition of knowledge that deals with human sexuality. It consists of instruction on the development of an understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, social, economic and psychological phases of human relations as they are affected by sex. In other words, sex education involves providing children with knowledge and concept that will enable them make informed and responsible decisions about sexual behaviours at all stages of their lives. The aims of sex education, according to British Medical Association Foundation for AIDS, are ambitious relating to the lifelong quality of relationships and personal behaviour. It should be age appropriate and available to everyone through a variety of forms and informal settings. Since adolescents’ characteristics predispose them to high risky sexual activities, behavioural interventions are needed to reduce their at risk sexual behaviours. The present study is an attempt in this direction.
